Pattern repeat: Burda 07-2011 pants and shorts

Pattern repeat = my cute new name for using the same pattern more than once with differing results. As a cheapskate at heart, reusing patterns is a must for me – more money for pretty fabrics, eh? Also, it’s so much quicker to sew the same garment for a second or third time as you should have figured out the construction and made any fit adjustments ahead of time. If you’re thinking I’m super nerdily productive with my sewing by the way, this is partly why: these each took me like two hours each from cutting to finish, slotting into a spare afternoon or evening here or there. (Also, I don’t really get out much.)

Anyway yes, here are two more takes on my beloved Burda 07/2011 (first go here). The first uses a georgette-type synthetic from Stoke Newington ‘favourite’ Ultimate Craft. The staff are surly, the stock is random, but the fabrics are fairly plentiful and cheap. At the time of my visit the whole street had a power cut, so I kind of bought this literally in the dark. But it was like £2.50 a metre so what could go wrong…

Not much did go wrong, actually. They sewed up as easily as the first pair, bar the fabric wanting to pucker a bit. Despite that I like the fabric a lot: light and drapey and just enough sheen to feel a bit fancy. They fit better than the first ones because I knew to taper the legs and make the waistband shorter this time. I wore them out for dinner immediately after finishing them, so I know they’re going to be a wardrobe regular.

Top tip for sewing with jersey ribbing: cut it much, much shorter than you think you’ll need. I found that two-thirds of my finished waist/hip measurement is about right, so around 22 inches on these. It looks ridiculously tiny but does mean the band stays in place on your waist, and because of the extreme stretch it’s still pretty simple to ease in as you sew. I cut the band too long on my first pair and they need hiking up a lot as a result; this second pair is much better.

Secondly, I adapted the pattern to make sweet little lounge/PJ shorts. I couldn’t resist this constellation print cotton when I spotted it on sale at M is for Make, but couldn’t really imagine making an outdoors garment out of it. (Although thinking about it, it’s a bit more subtle than paint by numbers stags now, isn’t it?)

I shortened the legs to just after the pockets bags meaning I could squeeze the pieces onto the single yard I bought, except for the pocket linings which are some stashed black jersey scraps. This makes the pockets extra-cosy so I’m glad for the shortfall actually. Again, nice fit, easy to sew, comfy to wear, and a completely different look and purpose to the other two. I’m now even imagining a pair of long cuffed pyjama pants for winter too. The pattern that keeps on giving!

Bonus stupid photo: You might have spotted I bought a wireless remote for my camera: all the better to take sewing-selfies for you, my dears!